Self-aligning integral lint screen handle and lid for a dryer

ABSTRACT

A lint screen handle for an automatic dryer functions as a selfaligning closure between a recess therefor on an outer surface of a dryer cabinet and a lint screen chute within the dryer mechanism by means of an attachment permitting looseness between the handle and the frame of the lint screen but binding the handle and frame permanently together. The attachment consists of two bars or tabs projecting from the underside of the handle, each having a barb or catch on its end; the frame of the screen has corresponding apertures sized to pass the bodies of the projecting bars but to prevent removal of the barbs or hooks from the frame. Thus, a limited-travel ball-joint connection is effected between the handle and the frame of the lint screen. The handle has an enlarged flange to form a closure cover to the passage in the cabinet leading to the lint screen chute.

United States Patent Davis et a].

SELF-ALlGNlNG INTEGRAL LlNT SCREEN HANDLE AND LID FOR A DRYER Inventors: Rodney L. Davis, Stevensville; Don

Ray Cronk, Benton Harbor; Carl C. Hansen, Watervliet, all of Mich.

Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, Mich.

Filed: Oct. 9, 1974 Appl. No.: 513,309

Assignee:

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/l959 Hullan 34/82 ll/l966 Taussig 52/753 B 6/1967 Lough et al 34/82 4/1968 Erickson 55/490 Primary Examiner-Bernard Nozick Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Hill, Gross, Simpson, Van Santen, Steadman, Chiara & Simpson 57 ABSTRACT A lint screen handle for an automatic dryer functions as a self-aligning closure between a recess therefor on an outer surface of a dryer cabinet and a lint screen chute within the dryer mechanism by means of an attachment permitting looseness between the handle and the frame of the lint screen but binding the handle and frame permanently together. The attachment consists of two bars or tabs projecting from the underside of the handle, each having a barb or catch on its end; the frame of the screen has corresponding apertures sized to pass the bodies of the projecting bars but to prevent removal of the barbs or hooks from the frame. Thus, a limited-travel ball-joint connection is effected between the handle and the frame of the lint screen. The handle has an enlarged flange to form a closure cover to the passage in the cabinet leading to the lint screen chute.

7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Si'iEET PATENTEDJUN 17 ms for 5 3 1 SELF-ALIGNING INTEGRAL LINT SCREEN HANDLE AND LID FOR A DRYER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to an improvement in a fitting used in an automatic clothes dryer to attach a lint screen to a handle by which the screen may be extracted from and reinserted into a lint screen chute in the dryer and to provide a closure for the lint screen passage in the dryer cabinet.

2. Description of the Prior Art Lint screens have generally been provided which slide into lint screen chutes from behind or beneath separate doors or lids which have no connection to the lint screen but rather are connected to the cabinet of the dryer so that a user must first open a door before he can remove or reinsert the lint screen. Therefore, there were no problems of alignment between the lint screen and the exterior cabinet of the machine. The handle by which the lint screen was removed or reinserted could therefore be attached rigidly to the frame of the screen. U.S. Pat. No. 3,285,637 shows such a rigid attachment, wherein no relative movement between the handle and frame is permitted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with this invention, a lint screen assembly has a handle which functions also as a lid or closure and is removable from the dryer along with the lint screen assembly. The assembly fits into a lint chute in the dryer through an opening or passageway in the top of the dryer cabinet. The closure is loosely fastened to the frame or body of the lint screen so as to assure a flush relationship between the closure and the adjacent cabinet surface when the screen is in its operating position despite potentially great misalignment between the lint chute and the cabinet surface due to buildup of tolerances in manufacturing and assembly processes.

More specifically, a top portion of the lint screen frame has a pair of slots for receiving a pair of corresponding tabs extending from the handle. The tabs are somewhat resilient, and a barb carried at the outward end of each tab prevents the handle from disengaging the top portion of the lint screen frame once the handle has been snapped into place. Each slot is over-sized with respect to the shank of its corresponding tab, and each barb is located so that the length of the shank is greater than the depth of the corresponding slot. Thus a connection is formed between the handle and the top portion of the lint screen frame to effect the properties of a limited-travel ball joint.

By utilization of an integral handle and cover on the lint screen, a dryer cabinet may be provided requiring no expensive or obtrusive auxiliary door to cover the lint screen assembly while it is in place. The invention also allows a more attractive cabinet structure and one which is easier for the consumer to use and maintain.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a dryer employing the present invention, with some parts cut away to show internal parts of the machine.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view which shows the lint screen and handle of the present invention partially withdrawn from the lint chute in the dryer, and

also shows the recess in the upper surface of the dryer cabinet.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view of the lint screen of the present invention partially shown in cross section at the mounting means and handle portions thereof.

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the handle assembly of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the handle of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is cross sectional view taken on line VI-VI of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An automatic clothes dryer is shown generally in FIG. 1 at 10 with the cabinet 11 partially broken away to show the operating elements of the machine includ ing an electrical resistance heating element air heater 12, a rotatable drum l3, and a blower 14. An inlet duct 15 admits temperature conditioned air to a treatment zone which includes the interior of the rotating drum 13, while an exhaust duct 16 allows air laden with moisture and lint to exit the treatment zone. Downstream from the exhaust duct 16 is a lint screen or lint filter 17 which is part of a lint screen assembly 21 held in place by a lint chute assembly 18 principally comprising a pair of rails 19,19. The rails 19 are spaced apart to receive corresponding sides 20,20 of a frame 21a of the lint screen 17. The frame 21a of the lint screen and the screen itself are flexible and will bend as seen in FIG. 2 when inserted into the lint chute assembly 18. A row of rectangular projections 2112 are provided on each side 20 of the frame as shown to add rigidity to the frame while the spacings between the projections 21b permit bending of the frame and screen as required. The lint screen 17 may be removed for cleaning in accordance with the principles of the invention through an aperture 22 in the top of the cabinet 11 by grasping the lint screen assembly 21 by a hand grip portion 24 molded in a grip recess 25 in an integral lint screen handle and lid 23.

In accordance with the principles of this invention, the integral lint screen handle and lid 23 is provided as a part of the lint screen assembly 21 to support as well as facilitate removal and replacement manipulation of the lint screen 17 and to close the aperture 22. The undersurface 26 of a grip recess 25 (of the handle and lid 23) is provided with a pair of tabs or projections 27,27 which are molded integrally with the handle and lid 23 and are located on the undersurface 26 to project in a direction to engage and hold the lint screen assembly 21. Thus, the assembly 21 is retained in proper position relative to the aperture 22 and a recess 28 in the top of the cabinet 11 adjacent the aperture 22, so that the top surface of the lid 23 is substantially flush with the top surface of the cabinet 11. A spacing member 29 is also included in the lint screen assembly 21 and is provided between the frame 210 of the lint screen and the lint screen handle 23 to space the lint screen 17 a required distance into the cabinet 11. The upper portion 30 of the spacing member 29 has a pair of apertures 31,31 which are spaced apart and oriented to receive the projections 27,27.

Each projection 27 has a shank portion 32 of decreased thickness relative to the thickness at the attachment point of the projection 27 to the undersurface of the handle portion 26 so as to form an upper abutment 33 on the projection 27. The lower end of each projection 27 is formed into a barb or hook 34 having an angled shoulder portion 35 and a lower abutment portion 36 which faces the upper abutment 33. The shank portion 32 of the projection 27 is sufficiently long in comparison to the thickness of the upper portion 30 of the spacing member 29 as to space the abutments 33 and 36 by a distance greater than the thickness of the upper portion 30 so that each shank portion 32 is loosely encompassed by its corresponding aperture 31 to give some freedom of vertical movement between the handle 23 and the spacing member 29, in the orientation of FIGS. 3 and 6.

Each aperture 31 is sufficiently wide and long in the orientation of FIG. 6 to pass the hook portion 34 of each projection 27 upon bending of the projections 27 outwardly in response to an appropriate force against the shoulders 35 during the assembly process. However, once assembled the spacing of the projections 27 and the presence of the hook portions 34 prevent the release of spacing member 29 by the handle and lid 23. The apertures 31,31 are also oversized and spaced apart along the portion 30 of the spacing member 29 sufficiently to allow limited horizontal movement between the handle 23 and the spacing member 29, that is, movement in all directions parallel to a plane formed by the surface of the upper portion 30.

Thus, while the mounting arrangement provided positively secures the handle and lid assembly 23 to the remainder of the lint screen assembly 21, it still allows a limited ball-joint movement i.e. limited 3-dimensional movement in all directions between the two parts. This unique limited-travel ball-joint connection between the handle and lid 23 and the portion of the lint screen assembly 21 which includes the lint screen 17 ensures a tight flush fit of the lid portion of the handle and lid assembly in the recess 28 provided in the cabinet top.

Although the present embodiment shows a lint screen assembly employing a spacer member 29, the handle could be attached directly to the lint screen frame. depending on the layout of the dryer and the position in which the lint screen is placed.

Although various modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that we wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of our contribution to the art.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

l. A removable lint screen assembly for use in a dryer having a chute for receiving the lint screen assembly through an opening in the dryer cabinet, said lint screen assembly comprising:

a first part including a lint screen and attached lint screen frame;

a second part including a handle and lid member having a hand grip portion and a cover portion for covering said cabinet opening; and

attachment means for providing a limited-travel balljoint connection between said first and second parts and including,

a projection extending between said first and second parts and having opposite first and second end portions with a shank portion therebetween, and an aperture defined in one of said parts loosely encompassing said shank portion, said first end portion of said projection rigidly affixed to the other of said parts, said second end portion of said projection defining a hook for loosely engaging said other of said parts adjacent said aperture, whereby the limited-travel ball-joint attachment between said first and second parts ensures a proper alignment between said handle and lid member and said cabinet when said lint screen assembly is in place in said dryer.

2. A lint screen assembly for use in a dryer having a chute for receiving the lint screen assembly and an apertured cabinet through which the lint screen assembly is inserted into the chute. said lint screen assembly comprising:

a peripheral frame;

a lint screen in said frame;

mounting means affixed to a portion of said frame and forming a pair of apertures; and

a handle in locking engagement with said mounting means and comprising: a pair of projections corresponding to said pair of apertures, each said projection comprising:

an intermediate shank portion to protrude through its corresponding aperture, and an outer barb portion to retainingly engage the mounting means adjacent said aperture; said apertures being oversized relative to said projections so that the handle is loosely attached to the lint screen; and means forming a generally flat top surface portion on said handle receivable over the cabinet aperture in substantially flush relationship with the cabinet to form a closure over the chute.

3. A lint screen assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein each barb portion faces oppositely from the other barb portion.

4. A lint screen assembly including a screen and attached frame for use in a dryer having a cabinet and a chute for receiving said lint screen assembly through a recessed opening in a surface of said cabinet, said lint screen assembly further comprising:

an integral combination handle and lid having distinct handle and lid parts;

attachment means for providing a locking but loose engagement between said handle and lid parts and said frame, said attachment means comprising a plurality of projections extending from the combination handle and lid, said frame having a corresponding plurality of oversized apertures formed therein, and each of said projections including:

a shank portion for engaging the frame through the corresponding aperture therein, and a hook portion opposite the handle and lid on said shank portion for coupling said combination handle and lid to said frame; said projections and said oversized apertures allowing limited movement of said combination handle and lid with respect to said frame to assure a positive alignment between said lid and said cabinet surface opening recess.

5. In a dryer comprising a cabinet and a lint chute wherein a removable lint screen assembly is receivable in said lint chute through an opening in a surface of said cabinet, an improved lint screen assembly comprising:

a screen;

a frame fastened about the perimeter of said screen and including a wall portion;

handle and lid parts including,

handle means forming a grip portion by means of which the lint screen may be manipulated by the user, and

lid means forming a cover portion for closing the cabinet opening when said lint screen assembly is in place in said lint chute; and

attachment means for attaching the handle and lid parts to the frame, said attachment means comprising:

a pair of projections extending from the handle and lid means, each projection including: an intermediate shank portion, and an outer hook portion;

said wall portion of said frame having a corresponding pair of oversized apertures formed therein through which said projections extend to form a limited-travel ball-joint connection between said handle and lid means and said frame to allow proper alignment of said handle and lid means with said cabinet.

6. In a dryer as defined in claim 5, the dryer further having a recess in the cabinet surrounding the cabinet opening into which the handle and lid are received, whereby an upper surface of said cover portion is substantially flush with said cabinet surface upon insertion of said lint screen assembly fully into said lint chute.

7. A lint screen assembly receivable in a dryer, the dryer having:

a lint screen chute; and a lint screen receiving aperture and a recess thereabout in a cabinet surface of said dryer; and the lint screen assembly comprising:

a lint screen and attached frame receivable in said lint screen chute; an integral lint screen handle and lid receivable in said aperture and recess; and connection means between said frame and said handle and lid, said means comprising: barbed projections having two ends and extending between said frame and said handle and lid, one end of each projection being affixed rigidly to one of said frame and handle and lid, and a second end of each projection having a barb non-removably and loosely engaging a wall of a corresponding aperture in the other of said frame and handle and lid, thereby to afford limited relative movement between said handle and lid and said frame, and thereby to seat said frame in said chute and said handle and lid in said aperture and recess upon insertion of the assembly into the dryer despite substantial misalignment between said chute and said aperture and recess in the dryer. 

1. A removable lint screen assembly for use in a dryer having a chute for receiving the lint screen assembly through an opening in the dryer cabinet, said lint screen assembly comprising: a first part including a lint screen and attached lint screen frame; a second part including a handle and lid member having a hand grip portion and a cover portion for covering said cabinet opening; and attachment means for providing a limited-travel ball-joint connection between said first and second parts and including, a projection extending between said first and second parts and having opposite first and second end portions with a shank portion therebetween, and an aperture defined in one of said parts loosely encompassing said shank portion, said first end portion of said projection rigidly affixed to the other of said parts, said second end portion of said projection defining a hook for loosely engaging said other of said parts adjacent said aperture, whereby the limited-travel ball-joint attachment between said first and second parts ensures a proper alignment between said handle and lid member and said cabinet when said lint screen assembly is in place in said dryer.
 2. A lint screen assembly for use in a dryer having a chute for receiving the lint screen assembly and an apertured cabinet through which the lint screen assembly is inserted into the chute, said lint screen assembly comprising: a peripheral frame; a lint screen in said frame; mounting means affixed to a portion of said frame and forming a pair of apertures; and a handle in locking engagement with said mounting means and comprising: a pair of projections corresponding to said pair of apertures, each said projection comprising: an intermediate shank portion to protrude through its corresponding aperture, and an outer barb portion to retainingly engage the mounting means adjacent said aperture; said apertures being oversized relative to said projections so that the handle is loosely attached to the lint screen; and means forming a generally flat top surface portion on said handle receivable over the cabinet aperture in substantially flush relationship with the cabinet to form a closure over the chute.
 3. A lint screen assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein each barb portion faces oppositely from the other barb portion.
 4. A lint screen assembly including a screen and attached frame for use in a dryer having a cabinet and a chute for receiving said lint screen assembly through a recessed opening in a surface of said cabinet, said lint screen assembly further comprising: an integral combination handle and lid having distinct handle and lid parts; attachment means for providing a locking but loose engagement between said handle and lid parts and said frame, said attachment means comprising a plurality of projections extending from the combination handle and lid, said frame having a corresponding plurality of oversized apertures formed therein, and each of said projections including: a shank portion for engaging the frame through the corresponding aperture therein, and a hook portion opposite the handle and lid on said shank portion for coupling said combination handle and lid to said frame; said projections and said oversized apertures allowing limited movement of said combination handle and lid with respect to said frame to assure a positive alignment between said lid and said cabinet surface opening recess.
 5. In a dryer comprising a cabinet and a lint chute wherein a removable lint screen assembly is receivable in said lint chute through an opening in a surface of said cabinet, an improved lint screen assembly comprising: a screen; a frame fastened about the perimeter of said screen and including a wall portion; handle and lid parts including, handle means forming a grip portion by means of which the lint screen may be manipulated by the user, and lid means forming a cover portion for closing the cabinet opening when said lint screen assembly is in place in said lint chute; and attachment means for attaching the handle and lid parts to the frame, said attachment means comprising: a pair of projections extending from the handle and lid means, each projection including: an intermediate shank portion, and an outer hook portion; said wall portion of said frame having a corresponding pair of oversized apertures formed therein through which said projections extend to form a limited-travel ball-joint connection between said handle and lid means and said frame to allow proper alignment of said handle and lid means with said cabinet.
 6. In a dryer as defined in claim 5, the dryer further having a recess in the cabinet surrounding the cabinet opening into which the handle and lid are received, whereby an upper surface of said cover portion is substantially flush with said cabinet surface upon insertion of said lint screen assembly fully into said lint chute.
 7. A lint screen assembly receivable in a dryer, the dryer having: a lint screen chute; and a lint screen receiving aperture and a recess thereabout in a cabinet surface of said dryer; and the lint screen assembly comprising: a lint screen and attached frame receivable in said lint screen chute; an integral lint screen handle and lid receivable in said aperture and recess; and connection means between said frame and said handle and lid, said means comprising: barbed projections having two ends and extending between said frame and said handle and lid, one end of each projection being affixed rigidly to one of said frame and handle and lid, and a second end of each projection having a barb non-removably and loosely engaging a wall of a corresponding aperture in the other of said frame and handle and lid, thereby to afford limited relative movement between said handle and lid and said frame, and thereby to seat said frame in said chute and said handle and lid in said aperture and recess upon insertion of the assembly into the dryer despite substantial misalignment between said chute and said aperture and recess in the dryer. 